What a great picture of the bunker Garden City hole 1

footprints - not the least bit level - so picturesque .... a true hazard

While you can never really go wrong with blaming Barney, I'm inclined to think the 2 biggest factors in the shift toward fairness were:

1) the proliferation of the pro game, especially due to TV;

and

2) a general shift in our culture to "fairness" (you can also never go wrong blaming those hippies from the 60s ).

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Thanks for posting the photo, George I. I suspect the number of golfers who'd prefer it are a small though vocal minority, many of whom post on here!

Sean - Mucci made the green laughing at this bird in the hazard

Sully,
The change was happening even back then. (circa 1920-1930's) Many architects wrote of of the fear that golf was going to lose it's  meaning--about loss of spirit, fun and challlenge vs. Man's inborn need to make things easier.

From my research, I have found that with Golf's fervent growth during that time period, if you were good at golf, you were well-respected and trusted, thus the need to simplify to attain that same level of respect. Knowledge, being the palace of wisdom took a back seat to the ability at leaving one's mark, thus the death of common sense.

I've said this many times in conversations with Tom Paul and Uncle George, I think these guys knew we lost the war.... (meaning MacKenzie, MacDonald, Thomas, Tillinghast and Ross, as well as countless others who knew the soul of the sport) I do think it ultimately disheartened them as much as ill-health and poor finances did.

Count me as one that has had a lifetime of memories and have found great friends because of this SPORT. I even have found that I count myself as a sporting man because of all of it. But I look at everything back then and I just see just how pure it all was and how even back then it was being saturated by the very growth that has led us to where we're at today. I think of how  everything has to be sold and packaged to me, despite the wonders of technology, as well as the magnificent abilities to manufacture this equipment. From a commercial aspect the Sport is as in much peril the same way Eisenhower warned of the military complex of these United States would surely one day ruin it's very existence. Maybe he figured that all out while at Augusta, playing golf or simply while fishing from the sancturary of the pond?

George,
What a hazardous bunker to be in.  

A good friend of mine, sportswriter and novelist Eliot Asinoff,
is fond of saying that money ruined baseball and I think the same thing happened to golf and it started way back when.
Everytime a reason is given for golf's sorry state today, it connects back to the almighty dollar.  

Hmmmmm... just taking George's photo for what it is, and not going beyond that bunker, well....

I'm not sure I'd call that more fun.

I am all for deep, penal bunkers, or those that might require one to go out sideways or backwards.

I'm not sure I'm in favor of hazards that require more than a stroke to get out, or require serious contemplation of unplayable lie relief.

Might this be a case of too much of a good thing?

TH

Hey Huck look at all the fun at Sand Hills        -   like he said

"don't hit it in there"

I'm including this photo in my presentations from now on

fairness and PC - that's really helped us a lot (NOT)

Gents, there are very few bunkers at Sand Hills that are like this.  Even the oft-pictured monster to the left of four has level sand and CAN be gotten out of in one stroke.  The ones that are unkempt like this are way out of play - so the fate is deserved.

But should a green-side bunker really be this way?

I absolutely understand "don't hit it in there" - like I say, I have nothing against hazards where the only play is sideways or backwards.

I just don't get making bunkers like this - if they are so meant to be "don't hit it in there", why not just fill them with water?

To me this is a very key distinction - waters are death, bunkers are meant to leave a little life.  

And that bunker looks to be worse than death... hell water might be BETTER...

So seriously, maybe a FEW bunkers like this are ok - but every single one?

Sorry guys, can't see that as fun - it's WAY too penal.

TH

 

NEVER FUN UNLESS PLAYED AS A GAME..

SOMETIMES FUN WHEN PLAYED AS A COMPETITIVE SPORT..

CERTAINLY NOT FUN WHEN PLAYED AS A PROFESSION..

It is a game the Kings were not playing last night against the Coyotes in that building you helped wire up.

On this site we talk about firm conditions, less than perfectly maintained bunkers (like the one in the picture), walking with your bag, inexpensive fees, and a host of other things having to do with the sport of golf in general.  

In some strange way it makes me think that the mangy munis that I play are golf in its purist form.  I might just be crazy or the thought just makes me feel better when I drive past Quaker Ridge to get to Split Rock.

Exactly! What a disaster eh?

Tommy,

The Kings will get well tomorrow night at this time.....they play my Stars, who they have owned this year.